She was born April 6, 1939, in Lone Oak to Venton and Irene Burns Dodd. She married Guy W. Payne on July 22, 1967. She was a school teacher in Lone Oak for many years and was a member of Lone Oak Baptist Church.

Survivors are her husband, Guy Wayne Payne; two daughters, Lyneita and Trent Leopold of DeSoto and Amy and Kevin Houser of Lone Oak; three grandchildren, Ryan and Nick Marney and Chelsea Houser.